Leaf-tobacco-packing case.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

W. DE HAVEN.

LEAF TOBAGGO PAGKING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.11, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

/NVE/V TOR No. 789,490. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

W. DE HAVEN,

LEAP TOBAGUO PACKING CASE APPLIGATION FILED 13130.11, 1903 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

O w, 131%"; a

B V I Tron/v! Y.

' irnn S'rafiin Patented May 9, 1905.

nic.

LEAF-"*TUHAWOO PACKlNC-I; CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,490, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed December 11,1903- Serial No. 184,844.

To u/l/ w/wm if; 772,007 concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Du HAVE N, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lancaster city, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLeai".l.obaeco Packing Cases; and I do hereby declare;the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertaini-s to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to improvements in a leaf-tobacco-packing case ofthat class in which the two side walls, with the lid and bottom portionsbetween their upper and lower edges, are secured together by rodsextending through the width of the case and its side walls adjacent tothe corner angles thereof and in which end pivoted plates overlyingtheir corner edges serve to secure the two removable portions of the endWalls of the case in place.

The object of the invention is the production of a simple but eiiectivecase especially adapted to the packing of the hands of leaftobacco as itis received from the grower by the dealer, the case being produced at aminimum of cost in construction and with a considerable saving inmaterial, in which the tobacco when packedis stored, cured, inspected,sampled, transported, and linally delivered to the manufacturer orconsumer; in which the two end wall portions may be bodily removedwithout withdrawing nails to provide ventilation to the packed tobacco,preventing its fouling or rotting from excessive fermentation during theperiod of sweating or curing, and which portions may again be replacedand secured without nailing; in which the case without prying ofi'boards or withdrawing nails may be bodily lifted or stripped from thetobacco, leaving it a naked mass or bulk on either the bottom or lid, asfor inspection or sampling, and the removed part may be again replacedand secured, also without nailing, and in which provision is made totake the empty case apart, separating it into six sections which may beclosely arranged or piled for convenient storage or transportation, allof which may be considered as an improvement upon the inventiondisclosed and claimed in Patent No. 503,717, granted to me on the 22dday of August, 1893, and extending the scope thereof.

The elements of the invention will severally and at large appear in thefollowing description, and they will be separately or eombinedly setforth or pointed out in the appended claims.

The purposes of the invention are attained by the mechanism, devices,and means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, with similarreference characters to designate like parts throughout the severalviews, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a leaf-tobacco-packingcase embodying the elements of the invention, showing one form of theend-portion-locking plates in position thereon; Fig. 2, a longitudinalvertical section of the same, the section being taken on the line a: a:in Fig. 1, showing the lid and bottom portions, respectively above andbelow, the whole being viewed practically from the right; Fig. 3, a viewof the left-hand end portion of the central part of Fig. 2 with the partshown in section removed; Fig. 4, a direct end view of the case, showingthe parts in the relative positions in which they appear when slightlyseparated; Fig. 5, a direct side view of the case, showing the parts inthe relative positions in which they appear when slightly separated;Fig. 6, a sectional view of the portions of the parts below the line 52;1 in Fig. 4, showing them in the relative positions in which theyappear when viewed from above; Fig. 7, a view showing the relativearrangement of the several parts of the case in the respective positionsin which they may be placed together for either close storage orconvenient transportation; Fig. 8, a side view of a binding-rod as itappears when detached from the case with a thumb-nut on its threaded endand a plan of the nut to the right thereof; Fig. 9, an enlargedperspective view of the case as it appears when separated from thebottom and bodily lifted from the tobacco thereon with the removedbinding-rods in lengthwise elevation and showing the preferred form oflocking-plates in position on the near end wall of the case; Fig. 10, aperspective view of the bottom with the body or bulk of the tobaccothereon as it appears when the case is stripped therefrom; Figs. 11 and12, respectively, a direct end elevation and a top view of the portionpractically comprehended by the dotted line .2 .2 in Fig. 9 with amodification of the end-portion-securing plate in place; and Fig. 13, asimilar elevation of practically the same portion, showing the preferredform of the locking-plate in the position in which it appears when theend portion is unlocked and about to be removed with the pivoting-boltand the retaining-bolt appearing in section and with dotted linesindicating the locked position of said plate.

As shown in the drawings, the ease of the invention is preferably arectangular parallelopipedon in form and practically smooth or even inexternal surface contour, so as to oifer no obstruction to its free orsliding movement on or about a floor or on the surfaces of other caseswhen a number of them, packed with tobacco, are arranged in tiers, as instorage-warehouses or on wagons and in freight-cars when about to betransported.

Now to meet the required conditions of the invention the side walls A Aof the case, said walls having the required dimensions, are each formedby a number of boards a laid side by side, with the inner surfaces oftheir ends rigidly secured in any approved manner against the adjacentedges of prescribed posts A, so that the extreme edges of said endsshall be flush or even with the outer faces of the posts. The posts havetheir opposite or free edges through said faces inwardly cut away orrabbeted to the required depth, forming oifset recesses or ledges a tobe engaged by the lateral edges of the removable end wall portions andby the end ribs of cleats of the removable lid and bottom portions, bothyet to be described, while the extremities of the posts are in suchproximity to the upper and lower edges of the side walls that when saidlid and bottom portions have their inner surfaces in engagement with thesaid extremities their outer surfaces will be flush or even with thesaid edges, and said posts thus secured will serve asstrengthening-cleats to said side walls, as well as to form materialparts of the end walls of the case.

The lid and bottom portions B B of the case, having the requireddimensions, are each formed by a number of boards 6 placed side by sideand having the inner surfaces of their.

vid ad with end projecting lips 5', engaging in the offset recesses ofsaid posts when the poi tions B are placed in their respectivepositions. At the required distances from the boa ds 7) the cleats areprovided lengthwise through their bodies with bores 6 registering withperforations (L2, formed through the posts and the adjacent boards a,the latter being provided with counterbores (L3 to the required depth,said bores and perforations conjointly forming openings or rodpassage-ways throughout the width of the case, while rods B providedwith heads and screw-threads 5*, respectively, at the opposite ends ofeach and passing through said openings, with the head and threaded endof each in its counterbore (6 and with nuts B screwed home on saidthreaded ends, serve to securely bind these parts together. It will herebe remarked that the cleats being thus rigidly secured to the boards 7)serve to strengthen the lid and bottom portion; that with theirextremities abutting against the opposing edges of the posts A and therods B binding the parts together the cleats serve to brace said posts,and thereby stiffen or strengthen the case; that with their outer facesflush or even with the extremities of said boards 6 they serve to formmaterial parts of the end walls of the case and with the posts A serveto complete surrounding rims or frames to openings adapted to be closedby removable portions of said end walls; that the cleats must be of sucha width as to prevent the points of nails securing the boards 7) theretofrom entering said rod-bores, presenting obstructions against the freepassage of the rods therethrough, and the rods must be of such a lengththat when they are in place their heads, as well as their threaded ends,with nuts screwed home thereon, will lie entirely within theirrespective counterbores a, leaving the side walls of the case entirelyfree from all external projections.

Adapted to be placed into as well as to be removed from the openingsbetween the lid and bottom cleats B and the opposing side posts A in theend Walls of the case when its parts B and A are held together by therods B are angular portions C, each portion being composed of a numberof approved boards 0 arranged side by side and joined by approved strips0, preferably of sheet metal, which strips are placed against their endedges vertically alined and rigidly secured in any approved manner, saidstrips serving as cleats to strengthen or stiffen said portions, as wellas to engage the offsetrecesses a when the portions are placed inposition. The portions C are held in their respective positions, as bylocking-plates D D D, the first two allowing them to be removed atpleasure and the third firmly securing them. The plates D D are pivotedand the plates D rigidly aflixed to the outer faces of the posts A, asby round or flat headed bolts (Z passed therethrough, with rea ise nuts(5 on their threaded ends and wholly recessed into the inner faces ofsaid posts, leaving said faces smooth or even or without abruptprojections. The plates 1) D are provided adjacent to their respectivepivots with edge recesses (Z for the free passage of said. portions Ceither into or from their respective end-wall openings, and in theforward or free ends of the plates, through the edges with the recesses(Z are formed curved slots d for the passage therethrough to theirrespective seating-points of round or flat headed screw-bolts 45*,passed through the bodies of the portions, with nuts (Z on the threadedends of the bolts, said nuts being recessed or embedded into the innersurfaces of said portions, leaving said surfaces free from abruptprojections. In the 7 plates 1) the forward edges d of the slots aremade outwardly and forwardly curving, widening the openings into saidslots for the better entrance of the bolts thereinto, and said latteredges, by reason of their engagement with said bolts when said platesare pushed home to their respective seating-points, will materially aidin drawing together the parts A and C should they have become separated,as when rods B" have been withdrawn for any purpose whatever. The bodiesof these plates are materially widened in one direction, so that theiredges (Z when the plates are in locked positions will overlap the jointsbetween the upper and lower edges of said portions 0 and the adjacentedges of the respective lid and bottom cleats. When the plates 1) areused to permanently bind the parts A and C together, bolts (i with nutson their threaded ends similar to the bolts (Z, before mentioned, but ofless length, serve to secure the respective ends of said latter platesto the outer surfaces of said portions (1.

It will here be observed that the cleats B of the lid portions B and theposts A of the side portions A being removed from within the case to theend walls thereof and with the portions C secured in their respectivepositions, as shown, the inside of the case will practically be withoutprojections; that when the case is packed with leaf-tobacco the mass orbulk thereof will conform to the said in side; that by unlocking theplates D or 1) and removing the portions C openings will be formed. inthe end walls of the case for the free ventilation to the tobaccotherein; that by reason of said ventilation the mass of said tobaccowill not foul or rot from excessive fermentation; that by withdrawingthe lower rods B and unlocking the lower plates 1) or D from the endportionsCthelower portions of the sides A of the case in springingoutward from the bulging of the packed tobacco thereagainst will therebybe released from said tobacco; that by reason of said releasing the casemay be readily and freely stripped therefrom, leaving the mass oftobacco in a smooth and even bulk upon the bottom of the case, when itmay readily be inspected or sampled and after which the case may againbe readily replaced over the tobacco without disturbing the regularityof its bulk and be again secured by means of said rods andlocking-plates.

It is well known that knockdown packing cases, boxes, crates, and thelike are old and well known to the trade in which screw-rods andlocking-plates are used to bind the parts together. No claims aretherefore made, broadly, to these elements; but

What is considered new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A leaf-tobacco-packing case composed of side wall portions and lidand bottom portions therebetween with the outer surfaces of the latterflush or even with the upper and lower edges of the former portions, theportions having opposing pairs of posts and cleats respectively securedagainst the inner surfaces and flush with the outer ends thereof to formparts of the end walls of the case leaving openings therein, the postshaving offset recesses in their opposing edges and the cleats with theirextremities abutting against said edges and having rod passagewaystherethrough and through said side wall portions to the outer surfacesthereof, headed rods having threaded ends passing through saidpassageways and having nuts screwed home on said. threaded ends withsaid heads and nuts fully recessed into said latter surfaces, end wallportions with strengthening-cleats on the end edges thereof freelyseated therein to close said openings with said cleated edges inengagement with the said offset recesses, and with locking-platespivoted to said posts and overlying the edges thereof to removablysecure said end wall portions, thus completing the case, allsubstantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a leaf-tobacco-packing case of the character described, having theside wall portions with the lid and bottom portions secured together byheaded screw-rods with nuts on their threaded ends, all as shown; postsand cleats rigidly secured, respectively, against the inner surfaces ofthe side wall portions and of the lid and bottom portions flush with theouter end edges thereof to form material parts of the end walls of thecase leaving openings in said end walls, said posts having the offsetrecesses, a, in their opposing edges with the bores, (0 through the endsof the posts and through the side wall portions to the outer surfacesthereof with the eounterbore's, a, in said surfaces, and said cleatswith their extremities abutting against said post edges, and having theend projecting lips, b, in engagement with said recesses, a, and havingthe bores, 79, through the length of their bodies to register with saidbores, a", to form rod passage-ways throughout the width of the case,and headed screw-rods passing through said passage-ways with their headsand nuts in their respective counterbores, (4 with end wall portionsfreely seated against said offset recesses, a, to close said end-wallopenings; and with locking-plates provided to removably secure said endwall portions in place; all substantially as described and for thepurpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a leaf-tobacco-packing case of the character described, having theside wall portions, the lid and the bottom portions all held together asshown, the posts and the cleats secured to the inner surfaces of saidportions flush with the outer end edges thereof to form parts of the endwalls of the case with openings in said end walls, and the end wallport-ions freely seated therein to close said openings, thelocking-plates provided to overlap the edge joints between the saidlatter portions and the surrounding posts and cleats, saidlocking-plates having their outer ends pivoted onto the outer faces ofsaid posts, with their inner ends curvingly slotted as shown, said slotsto engage on retaining projections from the outer surfaces of the saidend wall portions, all substantially as described and for the purposehereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM DE HAVEN. WVitnesses:

HARVEY B. Low, FRED. P. MENTZER.

